Articles

Buzzcocks - Another Music In A Different Kitchen

I feel a list coming on...

Pavement, Pixies, PIL, The Primitives, Young Marble Giants, The Specials, The Beat, Madness, Magazine, Buzzcocks, erm, The Cropdusters...

All have one thing in common. They all had a heyday, then they went away. Then they came back again. Why?

Well, when you see venues heaving to the heavens with fans watching and dancing to all those thousands of tribute bands out there, making lots and lots of money, then why not come back as a tribute to yourself? You've not made much money from music since you first split up; you may even have tried working in a soul-murdering office job, or squishing insects with a mop for a living. You miss the stage-thrill, the free backstage beers, the smiles of the thousands/hundreds/dozens of adoring/adorable fans (delete whichever is not applicable).

Why not? You may even make enough money this time never to have to work in a demeaning, demeanour-destroying job again. Another twenty years in an
office, or another twenty years playing the big hit song you wrote at the age of 21?

The greying, balding, many-chinned Buzzcocks are one of several dozen original-wave punk acts travelling the world playing their hits to hundreds every night. But what hits! Every song on Singles Going Steady is perfect punk-pop; and their first three "proper" albums are jammed with buzz-rocket tunes. The first side of the first of their "proper" albums, Another Music In A Different Kitchen, is extraordinary. First-wave punk was usually shouty, aggressive, male music. Buzzcocks were far more subtle. Full of whoa! pop! moments, Another Music... whooshes by in about ten seconds flat. Once Fast Cars speeds away from the starting grid, there's no stopping them. Inventive, sparky, tuneful. Punk for people who don't care for punk. Almost flawless (if it was really flawless, it would be number one in my Hot 100!).

Reality's a dream, a game in which I never seem to find out just what I am...

Post your top fifteen bands/artists, the first song you heard of theirs, the song that made you fall in love, and your current favorite.

1. Pink Floyd

First heard: Another Brick in the Wall part 2
Fell in love with: Wish You Were Here
Current favorite: Fearless

2. The White Stripes

First heard: We're Going to Be Friends
Fell in love with: I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)
Current favorite: Little Ghost

3. Ramones

First heard: Blitzkrieg Bop
Fell in love with: The KKK Took My Baby Away
Current favorite: I Need Your Love

4. Project System 12

First heard: Johnny and Jim
Fell in love with: Nothing goes wrong
Current favorite: Tracking them down

5. Blackmore's Night

First heard: Shadow of the Moon
Fell in love with: Village Lanterne
Current favorite: Dandelion Wine

6. The Clash

First heard: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Fell in love with: Janie Jones
Current favorite: The Card Cheat

7. NOFX

First heard: Don't Call Me White
Fell in love with: 60%
Current favorite: Cool and Unusual Punishment
8. Buzzcocks

First heard: Orgasm Addict
Fell in love with: Hollow Inside
Current favorite: Why Can't I Touch It?

9. T-sonic

First heard: Collapsar
Fell in love with: Silent Night - Dramnbas version
Current favorite: Relaxation

10. The Strokes

First heard: Last Nite
Fell in love with: Killing Lies
Current favorite: Ask Me Anything

11. Frozen Silence

First heard: Lucid Dream
Fell in love with: Thyme
Current favorite: Journal

12. The Hives

First heard: Tick Tick Boom
Fell in love with: Return The Favour
Current favorite: Untutored Youth

13. Deep Purple

First heard: Child in Time
Fell in love with: Soldier Of Fortune
Current favorite: When The Blind Man Cries

14. ENOZ

First heard: Ta Prohm
Fell in love with: Pagode onirique
Current favorite: Tequilla For Everybody

15. Celtic Woman

First heard: The Last Rose Of Summer
Fell in love with: Caledonia
Current favorite: Caledonia

OTL

1.How did you get into 29? (Santogold)
Honestly, I can't remember what led me to her - but I'm glad that whatever it was did!

2. What was the first song you ever heard by 22? (The Smiths)
How Soon Is Now?.

3. What's your favorite lyric by 33? (Rogue Wave)
"If you'd stay for a while with me/Before the mail comes/Before I'm alone/You'd say I'm out of my head/But really I'm the only one who's bounced back/The music that I want/Is cheaper than therapy" from Cheaper Than Therapy.

4. How did you get into 49? (An Horse)
Tegan and Sara spoke highly of them, so I checked them out.

5. How many albums by 13 do you own? (Rilo Kiley)
Just one - Under The Blacklight.

6. What is your favorite song by 50? (Buzzcocks)
Ever Fallen In Love.

7. Is there a song by 39 that makes you sad? (Passion Pit)
Now Sleepyhead does, because it reminds me of driving to my old job where the people were beyond awesome.

8. What is your favorite album by 15? (Iron & Wine)
The Shepherd's Dog.

9. What is your favorite song by 5? (Neko Case)
It's a toss-up between Hold On, Hold On and Star Witness.

10. Is there a song by 6 that makes you happy? (The New Pornographers)
Mostly everything off of the album Challengers makes me happy.

11. What is the worst song by 40? (of Montreal)
Couldn't tell you...

12. What is your favorite song by 10? (Brandi Carlile)
It's a tie between Fall Apart Again and What Can I Say.

13. What is a good memory you have involving 30? (Amy Winehouse)
I remember Cory writing on my Facebook wall about her - that was at the very beginning of the Cory-Kyle-Ari amazingness. Also, I remember the night I first heard/saw her, on a British awards show, after a long/cold/dirty shift walking with Kristie for Relay for Life.

14. What is your favorite song by 38? (Gavin Castleton)
Coffeelocks.

15. Is there a song by 19 that makes you happy? (The National)
Most of the songs on the album Alligator make me feel wonderful.

16. Is there a song by 25 that makes you sad? (Marina & the Diamonds/artist])
Obsessions and I Am Not a Robot.

17. What is the first song you ever heard by 23? (The Fratellis)
Creepin' Up The Backstairs.

18. What's your favorite lyric by 11? (Miike Snow)
"I wanna rewrite my heart and let the future in/Will you free me from the logic that I knew?/I believe it even if it is not true." from Cult Logic.

19. Who is a favorite member of 1? (Tegan and Sara)
I'm a proud equal-liker who leans one way or the other depending on my mood.

20. Is there a song by 14 that makes you happy? (The Ting Tings)
Shut Up And Let Me Go, That's Not My Name, and Great DJ.

21. What is a good memory involving 27? (Thao with The Get Down Stay Down)
The ridiculous message I left on Kyle's Facebook wall about the conundrum of how to label them in iTunes.

22. What is your favorite song by 16? (Juliette & The Licks)
There are too many on the album Four On The Floor to choose from.

23. What is the first song you ever heard by 47? (Mickey Avalon)
Waiting To Die

24. What is your favorite album by 18? (AFI)
DECEMBERUNDERGROUND.

25. What is your favorite song by 21? (Lily Allen)
Right now I really like The Fear.

26. What is the first song you ever heard by 26? (The Organ)
Brother.

27. What is your favorite album by 3? (The Weepies)
Say I Am You.

28. What is you favorite song by 2? (Pinback)
There is no way to answer that, there are far too many! But if I HAD to choose, I guess I would say Non Photo-Blue.

29. What was the first song you ever heard by 32? (Menomena)
Wet and Rusting.

30. What is you favorite song by 8? (Girl Talk)
Hard to tell, since it all blends into one amazing song of awesome. I can think of a part I REALLY like in a specific song, but I couldn't tell you which song that is.

31. How many times have you seen 17 live? (The Blow)
Unfortunately zero.

32. Is there a song by 44 that makes you happy? (Pop Levi)
Never Never Love.

33. How did you get into 12? (Phoenix)
Watched them perform on Saturday Night Live and thought I'd give them a further listen.

34. What is the worst song by 45? (Uh Huh Her)
Couldn't tell you...

35. What was the first song you ever heard by 34? (KT Tunstall)
Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.

36. What is the first song you ever heard by 48? (Kings of Leon)
The Bucket.

37. How many times have you seen 42 live? (Vampire Weekend)
None.

38. What is you favorite song by 36? (Sick Of Sarah)
Mr. Incredible.

39. What was the first song you ever heard by 28? (Bat for Lashes)
What's A Girl To Do?.

40. What is you favorite album by 7? (Feist)
The Reminder.

41. Is there a song by 31 that makes you happy? (Shiny Toy Guns)
Le Disko and Ghost Town.

42. What is your favorite album by 41? (Against Me!)
New Wave.

43. What is your favorite song by 24? (Imogen Heap)
I guess I'd say Glittering Clouds (Locusts).

44. What is a good memory you have involving 46? (Cyndi Lauper)
Blasting songs from Bring Ya to the Brink with Kristie and Emily in the car.

45. What is your favorite song by 35? (Alkaline Trio)
I liked their cover of Tegan and Sara's Wake Up Exhausted when they performed it with Tegan Quin on Spinner's "The Interface."

46. Is there a song by 9 that makes you happy? (Sia)
The Girl You Lost To Cocaine.

47. What is your favorite album by 4? (Kaki King)
I honestly couldn't choose, since they all have their strong parts.

48. Who is your favorite member of 37? (The Cliks)
Lucas Silveira.

49. What is the first song you ever heard by 43? (She & Him)
Something off of Volume One, but I'm not sure which song.

50. What is your favorite song by 20? (The Shins)
Kissing the Lipless.

“... that’s right, your stereo is fucked up.”

Screeching Weasel

Because of my muchlike for 999 and Buzzcocks, and my like for Dude Ranch, I went trawling the web to find pop punk bands that were generally liked by people whose opinions I respected. The consensus seemed to be the Ramones, and Screeching Weasel. I have the Ramones’ self-titled, and I can’t even get all the way through the thing without getting bored and annoyed. So with hope in my heart, I checked out these Screeching Weasel fellows.

With core members going by the names Ben Weasel and John Jughead, I could tell straight away that these guys were either pretentious as hell, or didn’t take themselves at all seriously. I admire Ben Weasel for giving up on playing bass and singing at the same time and just hiring a bassist. That is the kind of can-do attitude I respect.



Their self-titled debut, released in 1987, has 27 tracks, the longest of which clocks in at two and a half minutes, and only two other tracks even make the two-minute mark. As with a great number of punkish bands, they started raw and hardcore and then gradually developed “sophistication” and “pop smarts”. The vast majority of the time, this rates as a deterioration in my opinion. Screeching Weasel’s followup album Boogadaboogadaboogada! has tracks that are stronger than any on the self-titled, but is overall a less appealing album, and later albums which I have only heard parts of have a totally different sound. This album, if you believe wikipediathefontofallknowledge, was recorded in one night in a studio in Chicago for $200, and is well worth both the time and the money.

My usual method of reviewing an album track-by-track is doomed to fail for an album of these proportions, so I will just make it up as I go along. The album starts out pretty strong, falters in the middle and ends more strongly than it started. The low points are Cows and O.M.W., while the high points are the songs that are straightforward and aggressive, like California Sucks, Hardcore Hippie, Clean-cut Asshole and Jockpunk. The overall theme seems to be “I hate some stuff”. The stuff includes:

• authority (I like saying no! to authority)

• society (society makes me wanna puke)

• California (California sucks/It’s worse than old New York/Filled with scum and wealthy worms and stupid surfing dorks)

• himself (Don’t have a job/Don’t go to school/And worst of all/I think I’m cool/I can’t stand myself)

• People touching his car

• work (Overtime I’m getting pissed off/I don’t have a life/Hey boss fuck off!)

• liars (You’re a worthless old douchebag and I hate you)

• clean-cut assholes (You got no right tellin me that I ain’t okay/College buttfucks rule this world and claim to be alternative/You’re a fucking slimebag I don’t care what you say)

• jocks (You’re startin fights with people weaker than you/Come over here and I’ll pound on you)

• Kmart (I’d like to punch the customers in the face)

• 7-11 (There’s an asshole behind the counter/This atmosphere really sucks)

• alcoholics (You can’t have a good time without it/Personality from a bottle/Just leave me alone)

• hippies (You’ll go from beatnik to yuppie in the blink of an eye/Can’t think for yourself cause you’re always fuckin high

They manage to work in a couple of attacks on bands as well, with the alcoholic from Leave Me Alone puking and passing out listening to U2, to the Clean-cut Asshole and all his mates liking R.E.M., and maybe a jab at the hardcore scene in Experience the Ozzfish with Ozzfish just ain't cool anymore/Cause Ozz don't listen to any hardcore.

There are a few poppier numbers, like My Song (as close as it comes to stereotypical teen angst), What Is Right and Murder in the Brady House, which I’d probably find funnier if I were at all familiar with the Brady Bunch. You get a pretty good idea of the song from the first verse:

Bobby Brady's dealing crack, Marcia's on the pill

Mike's in bed with Alice and Sam sells dog chops at his meat shop

Greg is trying on garter belts and Peter spent three nights in jail

Murder in the Brady house because Jan Brady couldn't stand it

The lyrics in general can border on banal, in songs like Wanna Die (Wanna die, wanna die, wanna die, I don’t wanna live), but most of the lyrics are simplistic and still work pretty well, helped along by Ben Weasel’s apparent sincerity and rage. Even a song about microwaving Fred the gerbil (Wavin Gerbs) avoids being completely disgusting and repugnant just by virtue of the stupid voice he puts on, dull-witted and dopey:

I was there alone one day
Me, Fred and my microwave
Fred was a gerbil just the same
I was feeling quite insane
60 seconds set on high
Kiss my gerbil Fred goodbye
Watch old Freddy run and run
He went kaboom ! Just like a gun <--- best part ever
I'm having so much fun
Go and get a Brillo pad
Fred is dead aw ain't it sad
I didn't do it - that I wish
Guess who's next it's Bob my fish

And, for the last track Yeah Baby they even break out the acoustic guitars and a tuneless singalong to get set into a hilarious takeoff of love songs which compliment the girl’s features, starting with face and eyes and ending up with:

Yeah, baby

I like your knees

Yeah, baby

I like your nose

Yeah, baby

I like the cheese

Yeah, baby

Between your toes



For sophistication you’ll have to go elsewhere, or maybe check out what they’ve done later, I dunno, but what they’ve got here is a winning thing. I don’t have an actual favourite song on this album; in iTunes none of them got above three stars. As a whole album though it’s a good listen, especially when in the mood for some undemanding angry-youth sounds mixed in with a bit of poppy goodness, some flashes of real wit and quite a few idiot moments.

frauausathen's top albums (overall)
1. Johnny Thunders - Hurt Me (284) 2. Dead Boys - Young Loud and Snotty (232) 3. The Clash - The Singles (230) 4. The Stooges - Fun House (225) 5. The Stooges - Raw Power (186) 6. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (179) 7. Iggy Pop - Lust For Life (150) 8. The Clash - London Calling (148) 9. Joy Division - Substance (132) 10. Wire - On Returning (128) 11. Joy Division - Closer (127) 12. The Velvet Underground - Loaded (125) 13. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables (121) 14. Various Artists - No New York (120) 15. Johnny Thunders - L.A.M.F. (117) 16. Buzzcocks - Singles Going Steady (116) 17. Dead Boys - We'Ve Come for Your Children (115) 18. The Adicts - This is your life (108) 19. Sex Pistols - The Great Rock 'N' Roll Swindle (107) 20. The Cramps - Psychedelic jungle (105) 21. Iggy Pop & David Bowie - Mantra (105) 22. Dead Boys - We Have Come For Your Children (104) 23. MC5 - Kick Out the Jams (102) 24. Os Replicantes - O FUTURO É VORTEX (99) 25. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (99) 26. The Stooges - The Weirdness (97) 27. New York Dolls - One Day It Will Please Us To Remember Even This (93) 28. Richard Hell and the Voidoids - Destiny Street (92) 29. The Adicts - Rockers Into Orbit (88) 30. The Jam - All Mod Cons (85)



frauausathen's top albums (7 days)
1. Wire - On Returning (43) 2. The Cramps - Psychedelic jungle (33) 3. The Seeds - Travel With Your Mind (24) 4. The Flamin' Groovies - Groovies Greatest Grooves (24) 5. Buzzcocks - Demos and Outtakes (22) 6. Oblivians - static party in costa mesa (22) 7. Wire - Pink Flag (20) 8. The Jam - Direction Reaction Creation (1 of 5) (19) 9. Gang of Four - Solid Gold (18) 10. Joy Division - Substance (17) 11. MC5 - Kick Out the Jams (16) 12. Richard Hell & The Voidoids - R.I.P. (16) 13. Sonic Youth - Bad Moon Rising (15) 14. Radio Birdman - Radios Appear (15) 15. Sonics, The - Boom (15) 16. The Jesus and Mary Chain - Psychocandy (15) 17. Spacemen 3 - Taking Drugs To Make Music To Take Drugs To (Space Age 2000) (14) 18. The Fall - Perverted by Language (13) 19. James Chance & The Contortions - Buy (12) 20. Dead Boys - Young, Loud, and Snotty (11) 21. 13th Floor Elevators - The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators (11) 22. Joy Division - Still (11) 23. The Cramps - Bad Music for Bad People (11) 24. 13th Floor Elevators - Bull of the Woods (11) 25. MC5 - Back In The U.S.A. (11) 26. 13th Floor Elevators - Easter Everywhere (10) 27. The Jam - Setting Sons (10) 28. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico (10) 29. Nico - Chelsea Girl (10) 30. Lou Reed - Transformer (10)

I realized I have lots of CDs of the bands I don't listen to and I need some money (for more CDs xD), so I decided to sell them.

I like keeping my things in a very good condition, so all CDs look perfect, but if you need some pics of them, feel free to ask.

The shipping abroad is about 10$, but if you want to know exactly how much it is, ask me.

I don't know what prices are fair for you, so I thought the best way is let you to offer for the CDs. I don't want to rip you off and I don't want to sell it way too cheap, so please, let your prices be fair, ok :)? Please offer in dollars or euro.

Possible payment: PAYPAL ONLY

For Polish people:
Płatność Paypalem lub przelewem na konto w mBanku. W Warszawie możliwość odbioru osobistego. Cenę zaproponujcie oczywiście w złotówkach :D. Przesyłka to ok. 8zł poleconym priorytetem.

CD list:

AFI
- Sing the Sorrow [album]

Apocalyptica
- Apocalyptica [album]

Backyard Babies
- MAKING ENEMIES IS GOOD [album]

Bad Religion
- PUNK ROCK SONGS (THE EPIC YEARS) [album]

Blade Loki
- ...no pasaran [album]

Cradle of Filth
- DUSK...AND HER EMBRACE [album]
- FROM THE CRADLE TO ENSLAVE [mini-album]
- VEMPIRE or Dark Faerytales in Phallustein [min-album]
- NYMPHETAMINE special edition [album, 2 discs]
- Bitter Suites to Succubi [album] SIGNED BEFORE THE LIVE ON METALMANIA IN POLAND IN 2005
- LOVECRAFT & WITCH HEARTS [album, 2 discs]
- PanDaemonAeon [DVD]

Dimmu Borgir
- DEATH CULT ARMAGEDDON [album]

Edguy
- HELLFIRE CLUB [album]

Evergrey
- THE INNER CIRCLE special edition [album]

For Selena And Sin
- OVERDOSED ON YOU [album]

Manzana
- BABIES OF REVOLUTION [album]
- nothing as whole as a broken heart [album]

Moonsorrow
- Kivenkantaja [mini-album]

Rammstein
- Sehnsucht [album]

Sacriversum
- SIGMA DRACONIS [album]

Tennis
- laundromat [album]

The 69 Eyes
- Framed in Blood [album]
- blessed be [album]
- Wasting The Dawn [album]
- Paris Kills [album]

The Rasmus
- FUNERAL SONG (THE RESURRECTION) [single]

Unshine
- the enigma of immortals [album]

Zwan
- HONESTLY [single]

misc (I can add one of them for free if you want to, but only if you buy 2 CDs and more):

TOTALLY PUNK
THE ESSENTIAL PUNK ALBUM
Tracklist:
1. The Stranglers - Something better Change
2. The Ruts - Babylons Burning
3. Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (with someone you shouldn't 've?)
4. The Skids - Sweet Suburbia
5. Stiff Little Fingers - Alternative Ulster
6. The Vapors - Turning Japanese
7. X-Ray Specs - The Day The World Turned Day-Glo
8. Magazine - Shot By Both Sides
9. Penetration - Don't Dictate
10. Generation X - King Rocker
11. 999 - Emergency
12. Wire - Outdoor Miner
13. The Buzzcocks - What Do I Get?
14. Cockney Rejects - I'm Not A Fool
15. The Ramones - Sheena Is A Punk Rocker (Live)
16. Stiff Little Fingers - Suspect Device
17. The Stranglers - Hanging Around

American Pie: The Wedding soundtrack
Tracklist:
1. Foo Fighters - Times Like These
2. Good Charlotte - Anthem
3. New Found Glory - Forget Everything
4. Sum 41 - The Hell Song
5. All American Rejects - Swing Swing
6. Avril Lavigne - I Don't Give
7. Matt Nathanson - Laid
8. American Hi-Fi - The Art of Losing
9. Hot Action Cop - Fever For The Flava
10. Gob - Give Up The Grudge
11. Sugarcult - Bouncing Off The Walls
12. Feeder - Come Back Around
13. Nu - Any Other Girl
14. The Working Title - Beloved
15. Blue October - Calling You
16. Joseph Arthur - Honey & The Moon
17. The Wallflowers - Into The Mystic

Various Artists, CocaCola "Rock"
Tracklist:
1. Hole - Doll Parts
2. 3 Doors Down - When I'm Gone
3. Godsmack - I Stand Alone
4. Tosteer - The Hardest Task
5. Kangaroz - Taki Dzień
6. Wrinkled Fred - Backstabber
7. Sepultura - Roots Bloody Roots
8. Type O Negative - My Girlfriend's Girlfriend
9. Moonlight - Ronaa
10. Acid Drinkers - High Proof Cosmic Milk

Is it bad if I don't remember anymore how often I've seen some bands? -_-''

1 Anna Ternheim - twice
2 Micah P. Hinson - once
3 The Gossip - twice
4 Element of Crime - once
5 ABBA
6 The Dears
7 Beirut
8 The Knife
9 Emilíana Torrini - once
10 Band of Horses
11 The National - once
12 The Hazey Janes
13 The Decemberists
14 The Hidden Cameras - twice (trice?)
15 Sufjan Stevens
16 Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - twice (second time sucked though)
17 Buzzcocks - once
18 Logh
19 David & the Citizens
19 The Dresden Dolls
21 Death From Above 1979
22 Modest Mouse
23 Kings of Leon - once
24 Supergrass - 3!!
25 Belle and Sebastian - once <3
25 Maria Taylor - 1 or 2 times, if azure ray counts
27 16 Horsepower
27 Ratatat
29 Woven Hand - twice
30 Morrissey - once
31 The Futureheads - no they canceled to be on top of the pops
32 Nouvelle Vague - once
33 Maritime - once
33 The Shins
35 I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness
36 Motorpsycho
37 Kaizers Orchestra - twice (3?)
38 Azure Ray - 1
39 José González
39 The Innocence Mission
41 Damien Rice
42 Madrugada
42 The Zutons - once
44 Last Days of April - once
45 Spoon
45 Guillemots
47 CocoRosie - once
47 Karl Larsson - once
49 Heidi Happy
50 Tim Booth

Maybe it's because I'm the kind of guy that starts reading Record Collector at the back page, then work my way to the front that I got into Magazine before I got into Buzzcocks. I got into Magazine through my ongoing fascination with post-punk, but to be honest I'd always thought of Buzzcocks as a 'punk' band.

I was seven years old when Buzzcocks first started rewriting the punk rule book so I missed them first time around and never really made the effort to listen to them after that. What a mistake!

Recently I took up bass guitar and one of the first songs I learned to play was 'Boredom' from Buzzcocks' groundbreaking Spiral Scratch EP, which has once again piqued my interest in the band.

I picked up the remastered 'Another Music in a Different Kitchen' for just £5 - a bargain for a double CD, especially when you get the full original album, plus four associated singles including Orgasm Addict and What Do I Get? plus a Peel session (3 tracks) - and that's just disc one!

Disc 2 includes 14 demo versions (some previously unreleased) and 9 tracks from their gig 'Live at the Electric Circus'on 2 October 1977.

If you haven't heard Buzzcocks yet Another Music in a Different Kitchen is a great introduction.